


band the bright earth with new mysteries

by theriveroflight



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Bad Parent Gabriel Agreste, Fae & Fairies, Inspired by A Midsummer Night's Dream, Love Potion/Spell, Minor Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth/Nathalie Sancoeur, Multi, Rewrite, and the dubious consent associated but that doesn't last
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-14 05:55:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29662788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theriveroflight/pseuds/theriveroflight
Summary: The Forest whispers, and calls two to the throne.A man tells his son to marry a woman, in the human town nearby.Though utterly separate events, in congress they bring far more consequences than expected.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Kagami Tsurugi, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Plagg & Tikki (Miraculous Ladybug), Plagg & Trixx (Miraculous Ladybug)
Kudos: 11
Collections: February 2021 - Rewrite a classic





	band the bright earth with new mysteries

**Author's Note:**

> Yeaaaaaaah, let's go!
> 
> This is a polyamorous endgame version of A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare. There are some other changes, too, including the removal of the child slavery subplot and I completely cut Nick Bottom. 
> 
> Title from "[Song of the Trees](https://poets.org/poem/song-trees)" by Mary Colborne-Veel.
> 
> Content warnings: forced affections (love spell), death mentions, bad parent Gabriel

Adrien kneels in front of his father, at the dais. Normally, he wouldn’t, but they’re in the throne room, and keeping up formalities is important. “You sent for me, Father?”

“You will be marrying Miss Tsurugi sometime within the next few months.”

Tsurugi…it sounds familiar.  _ “Kagami  _ Tsurugi?”

“Of course,” Father responds. “I would not marry you to someone as old as myself, especially not a woman. They grow less able to provide as time goes on.”

“What am I expected to say?” Adrien asks. “I know that I am incapable of resisting this union.”

He can’t do anything else besides accept it. He needs to tell Marinette that he needs to break up with her… 

“You will regrettably be executed if you do, son. You are dismissed.”

Adrien stands up and leaves the room. Now he really  _ doesn’t  _ have a choice but to marry Kagami or die.

“Oh, and one more announcement — I will be marrying Madame Sancoeur in a few days’ time.”

Adrien turns back and gives a solemn nod.

“I understand, Father.”

It has been a long time since Mother passed, after all — and hadn’t Adrien  _ encouraged  _ Father to be with Nathalie?

They love each other. It’s…okay.

And he’s not going to die. He  _ won’t. _

* * *

“Marinette,” Adrien says, “my father wants me to marry Kagami.”

“That…isn’t going to happen, is it?” Marinette asks.

“He told me that I’d be executed if I didn’t go through with it.” Adrien wants to live. Or something. And Kagami and Marinette are friends — it wouldn’t be the worst fate to suffer. Besides, he thinks he could eventually fall in love with Kagami if he were to try. But Lord, knowing Marinette would be right there the whole time without being able to be with her would be torture.

And “both” isn’t an option.

“Let’s run away,” Marinette proposes. “If we go into the Forest, they’ll never find us there. The faerie lands confuse humans.”

“Including us,” Adrien answers.

“Isn’t confused better than dead?” Marinette asks. “Or living a lie for the rest of your life?”

“I love you,” Adrien says. He needs to say it, because he doesn’t think he’ll… 

“Then we should run away. And maybe we can get married somewhere else, somewhere they won’t recognize us.”

Adrien takes a moment, and decides. “Alright. Let’s run away.”

“What about Luka and Kagami?” Marinette asks.

“I don’t know.” Adrien sighs. “They’ll do as they wish. They’re both independent people capable of their own actions.”

“I’m going to talk to Kagami. She’s my friend, after all this, and she deserves to know where I’ve gone.”

“Okay.” He kisses Marinette on her cheek. “I love you. I’ll see you later.”

Marinette ducks her head and blushes. “Love you too.”

* * *

“Kagami?” Marinette knocks on the door and speaks. “I wanted to talk to you.”

“What is going on?” Kagami asks when she opens up the door

“I heard about you and Adrien,” Marinette says, approaching Kagami slowly. They can’t get much closer. Kagami backs away a bit, which breaks the spell.

“I know. It’s rather…unfortunate, all things considered.” Kagami looks away from Marinette.

“Because of Luka?”

“It…lets you two be together.”

“I believe you are under the wrong impression.” So…Kagami really likes Luka? Marinette thought she was in love with Adrien. That at least  _ someone  _ in their engagement would like it. “Adrien and I are running away together. I came here to let you know of our whereabouts. In case you got worried.”

“That’s…very sweet, Marinette. I wish you both the best of luck.”

“And that leaves you and Luka free to be with each other.” Marinette smiles. Everything is fine, right? Even though she feels like she’s leaving people who are just as important to her as Adrien behind.

“Right.” Kagami looks Marinette in the eye. “I wish you best of luck, Marinette. Pass my regards to Adrien, as well.”

Marinette hugs Kagami. “It’s okay to be sad. I’ll miss you, Kagami. And we’ll come back when we can without Adrien dying.”

“What do you mean, Adrien  _ dying?”  _ Kagami jolts out of the embrace. Marinette takes a moment to mourn the warmth.

“Gabriel threatened him that if he didn’t go through with the marriage he’d be executed. But nobody can kill him if they can’t find us.”

“Marinette,” Kagami says, taking Marinette’s hands. Marinette can feel her face warming. “You can’t run from your problems.”

“We can certainly make a go of it,” Marinette answers. She rips her hands away. “I’ll pass along your regards to Adrien.”

“Good luck.”

Marinette just turns away and exits.

* * *

Marinette and Adrien are…running away. Kagami wonders if Marinette will tell Luka — she doubts it. Marinette and Luka may be friends, but they don’t quite have the same bond as she does with Kagami.

So Kagami will have to take matters into her own hands.

“Luka?” she asks, finding him plucking away at a lute.

“Hey, Kagami,” he says, and she smiles a little bit at that.

“I have something important to tell you,” she says. “Adrien and Marientte are running away together. I know you were fond of Marinette.”

“I am…fond of both of them,” he says, setting down his instrument. “What are you planning?”

“I do not know,” she responds. She doesn’t know what to do, which is strange. And different.

“Let’s go after them,” Luka proposes, and at the very least that  _ is  _ a choice. 

She takes a moment to decide, though.

“Yes.”

So they go off into the woods.

* * *

“Hello, Tikki.”

“Plagg.” Her eternal annoyance. “Have you found a way to undo the binding?”

“I wish I had one,” he answers. “Have you been searching?”

“Yes,” she answers. “I have not found  _ anything  _ about binding like our situations.” 

“Nor have I,” Plagg says, “so do  _ not  _ blame me for my inability.”

“Sometimes it almost feels as though you  _ want  _ this between us to remain,” she snarls, and she can feel her more feral traits coming out. So she takes a deep breath, imagining the wings and antennae receding, and they do.

“I promise you, Tikki, I am right there with you. I want the binding of both of us to the throne gone as well. But I would still choose to befriend you.”

She snorts. “Well, I wouldn’t do the same to you.”

“Well, we’ll cut it off. I promise.”

“I know. But don’t make any promises.You know what those mean for us.”

“We’re tied together, for better or for worse. Until we can sever ourselves from each other…would you rather keep the throne and me alongside it, or lose both?”

“I will sacrifice  _ whatever it takes  _ to get rid of you.” It’s more brutal than she knows she should be, but it bears some truth.

“Tikki.”

“Plagg. Leave me be.”

“You can’t command me. We are supposed to be equals.”

“Fine,” she answers, and leaves the room.

They’re the rulers of the woods, the faerie heirs declared by…she doesn’t know who died and left them in charge, or why whoever it was picked  _ them. _

* * *

“Trixx,” Plagg asks, “why does she spurn me so?”

“I suspect she never wanted this,” they answer. “I mean, you don’t seem like someone who would want responsibility either.”

“I don’t,” he answers. “But I’m still going to live with what I’ve been burdened with. Even if it means having to work with her. I don’t think she really gets it yet. We’re stuck.”

Trixx frowns. “Want to have some fun? We can prank some humans, or something. That always gets your spirits up.”

He smirks. “Let’s see, Trixx, who’s in our woods now?”

They go to the scrying pool, and they see two sets of humans. The first set are happy as can be; they seem like lovers, though Plagg is far from omniscient. The other set seems sadder, but following the other pair’s footsteps. He doesn’t know exactly what the story is, but he thinks that both pairs should be happy.

“Thoughts?”

“The pair following them. They should be happy, too.”

“I have a love potion,” they suggest. “I could give them both some, so they fall for each other and they can be happy too.”

Plagg smirks. “That sounds like a plan. Go find the young man and woman together, and make sure that they fall for each other.”

And maybe it isn’t the prank that they had originally plotted out, but they still managed to make a plan for  _ some  _ shenanigans, and hopefully he can figure something out.

* * *

Adrien takes a deep breath. He and Marinette have been running through the woods, not  _ fast  _ but brisk enough to carry them for several miles. But they both get tired, in due time, and even their happiness at the prospect of being together isn’t enough.

(It isn’t whole, Adrien knows, but still happy enough. After all, Marinette is the one he loves most, right?)

“Where are we going to sleep?” Marinette asks. “It’s getting dark, meaning that the fae are more likely to be active.”

Meaning that they’re in more danger, and being asleep will get them off the radar, hopefully.

“Here seems good enough.” There’s a mossy rock large enough for both of them to lean on, and though it won’t be very comfortable it’ll be enough.

So he sits down, and Marinette sits next to him.

“Marinette,” he whispers, “good night.” 

“Good night, Adrien,” she whispers in response.

* * *

After some grueling hours of travel, Kagami and Luka finally find Adrien and Marinette. They’re sleeping slumped against a rock, and it is…cute.

When she looks over, she sees Luka’s lovestruck smile, and she gets a confusing and dizzying sense of both jealousy and solidarity. They are stuck in the same situation, loving people who love each other, rather than loving Luka and Kagami back. It seems almost natural to be here, together, watching Adrien and Marinette.

Even if it is a bit creepy to be watching people sleep.

“I suppose we should get some rest, too,” Luka says. Kagami looks up at the moon.

“Yes,” she answers. Luka gives her his poncho.

“Here. I won’t need it.”

“I can stand some cold,” she says. “It is summertime, after all.”

He nods. Kagami lays on the grass near the rock, turning to face Adrien and Marinette. Luka chooses to sleep atop the rock. She drapes the poncho over Luka like a blanket.

* * *

Trixx looks upon the scene. They know that these are the four people that Plagg and themself spied upon earlier, but which two, again?

They pick one of the ones leaning against the rock. The boy should fall in love with one of the girls, and hopefully it’s the one that loves him 

And so they go off to report to Plagg, who’s slumped over a book on the royal lineage of the forest.

“What’s the boring research this time?” they ask as they morph back from fox form.

“It’s not  _ boring.  _ It’s so Tikki and I can both move forward. She would make good royalty, I think, but she doesn’t want me ruling alongside her. And I want to be alongside her, but I don't want to be royalty.”

“You as royalty will doom us all eventually,” Trixx jokes. “I don’t know why the powers that be picked  _ you,  _ of all the fae.”

“I don’t understand the forest either, I just have to work with it. So, did you do it?”

They smirk, and shake the tin of lotion. “What do you think?”

“Foxes aren’t exactly known for their honesty,” Plagg answers. “So…”

“Yes, I did. Or at least I believe that I did,” Trixx answers, firing off a wink.

“Good,” Plagg says. “And to think I almost pranked them instead of  _ helping.” _

Trixx worries briefly that they picked the wrong human. But what does human love matter? It is fickle and mutable, and they have no reason to worry about these humans.

* * *

Adrien wakes up first the next morning. He’s always been an early riser.

Kagami is on the grass in front of him. Why is she here?

But, in a sudden flood of affection, it doesn’t matter  _ why,  _ all that matters is that she  _ is  _ here. And he remembers that he ran away because he didn’t want to marry her.

Why wouldn’t he want to marry Kagami?

And then he feels the girl sleeping on his shoulder. Marinette? Why would he choose Marinette over Kagami? Kagami is the perfect girl for him, the one that he loves most.

“Kagami,” he says, going to shake her awake, “let’s go home.”

“Adrien,” she says as she blinks awake. “What are you doing?”

“I want to marry you,” he professes simply, because it  _ is  _ simple. He smiles at her, but she looks panicked more than anything.

Why would she have a reason to panic?

“No,” she says, standing up. “You’re with Marinette, remember?”

“Why would I ever want her?” Adrien tilts his head. “You’re brilliant, Kagami. There is no one else for me.”

“What’s going on?” she asks, and she sounds scared.

“Don’t be afraid, Kagami. I just…don’t understand.”

“I do not understand what is going on either,” she answers, backing further away from him. “What are you doing, Adrien? Is this some kind of a joke?”

“My love for you is never a joke.”

Kagami turns away from him and dashes out of the clearing.

Why does she run?

* * *

Luka wakes up to find that both Adrien and Kagami are gone. Marinette is standing over him.

“Oh, I was waiting for you to wake up,” she says. “I’m glad that you’re awake.”

“Why are Adrien and Kagami gone?”

“I don’t know,” she says, “but I’m worried about them. I can see their tracks.”

“So, are we going to follow them?”

“Yeah. I think we have to.”

“Alright.” He takes a deep breath. “Let’s go.”

* * *

“Trixx,” Plagg says, waving his tail back and forth, “you enchanted the wrong one.” He’s letting the animalistic traits come out a little more, an extra layer of intimidation. “And you forgot the girl.”

They frown. “It wasn’t the blonde boy?”

“No, it was the black-haired one.” 

“Well. Allow me to fix my errors, then.”

Plagg places the tin back into Trixx’s hand. “Do not fail me again.”

“Snappy, aren’t you?”

“I figured it out.” They can speak with the forest. If they both agree that neither is right for the power, the trust the forest has vested in them, the forest will take it away.

Plagg does not like holding power over the fae. But he cannot deny that being king has brought him joy, and brought him friendship in Trixx. And the queen…could not be more suited.

They need to do it together.

Tikki once said that she would do anything to be rid of him.

Plagg wonders if it would be worth that.

* * *

“Where did they go?” Marinette murmurs. They’ve lost the trail, and she’s frankly  _ frustrated  _ with Adrien and Kagami. Why would they run away? And what’s going on? “Luka, do you know  _ anything  _ about all this?”

“I woke up, and they were gone,” he says, looking away from her. She sighs. “I love Adrien as much as you do, Marinette. We’re in the same boat.”

She snorts. She isn’t exactly jealous. It does her no good, especially when such relationships are…considered worse in nature. “And here I thought you loved me.”

“Can I not do both?” Luka’s smile is wry. “I don’t exactly attempt to keep it a secret.”

“I…”

Can he not do both? Can  _ she  _ not…love them? Goodness, if she lets Luka unravel her too much, every little bit will come undone. She loves Adrien.  _ Adrien,  _ enough to get married with him and love him forever.

(But he isn’t the only one she’s willing to do that for.)

“I’m going to keep looking.” Marinette follows a path crushed by the animals. She doubts Adrien and Kagami would take the time to carve out their own path, though she doesn’t know for sure.

Luka stays behind.

* * *

The boy that was supposed to receive the treatment is here. In this clearing. Taking a nap.

It’s the perfect opportunity for Trixx to move in, do what they should have done in the first place.

They morph out of fox form to administer the lotion properly. Now they have to lure the girl back here.

It is easy to find humans. Their scent cuts through the others of the forest, because it isn’t part of the usual smells of the forest. But to find the  _ right  _ one is a different story.

They use a little bit of their magic to lure the girl over, to let her come. She is being chased by the blond boy from earlier, and Trixx almost feels a sense of sympathy. They have never been chased by anyone with affections for them, but they have never held affections for anyone, so in a way they can commiserate with this poor girl.

“Luka,” she says, “can you tell me what’s going on?”

And she seems to spare a little more affection for him, so perhaps they did make the right decision in meddling.

He awakens, and he melts into her gaze. The enchantment works like a charm. They flip the canister in their hand. It’s brilliant.

“I…I don’t know.” But he seems to also be able to resist it more.

Trixx morphs into fox form before they are found out, and return to the court.

They wonder how Plagg and Tikki are doing. How well their relationship is mending — or being undone.

* * *

Luka meets Kagami’s eyes, and he’s not certain why he hadn’t really considered her before. Adrien and Marinette are both brilliant, sure, but Kagami outshines both of them in his eyes.

And isn’t that what he should be? Because people are supposed to pick one,  _ just  _ one.

Kagami could be the one. Be the  _ only  _ one.

“Can you tell me what’s going on?”

“I…I don’t know.”

All he knows is  _ Kagami,  _ all his thoughts are screaming. It scares him. He doesn’t want to be like this, no matter how amazing she is.

“Did you and Adrien conspire to make a fool out of me? To force my hand into revealing the truth?”

“And what is the truth, Kagami?” Luka tilts his head. Will she tell him she loves him? “Adrien is my competition, not coconspirator.”

“What do you mean by that.” Her tone is flat, less panicked than she was with Adrien, and perhaps…that means he has more of a chance.

“I…” He tilts his head. What does he mean? “For you, of course.”

“What is my life right now?” he hears her murmur, and she just turns tail. Adrien stumbles in a few moments later. 

“Where did Kagami go?” he asks.

“And why would I tell you?” Luka bites back.

“...because I love her?”

“You’re supposed to love Marinette, so Kagami and I can love each other, and then  _ everyone will be happy.” _

“You know, I don’t get it,” Adrien muses. “You’ve exhibited more signs of attraction to Marinette than Kagami.”

For a moment, Luka almost thinks  _ It’s only because you’re too oblivious to see my signs of affection for  _ you, but that’s  _ ridiculous.  _ He doesn’t love Adrien. Only Kagami.

_ Only  _ Kagami.

Luka turns towards the sound of someone coming through the leaves.

* * *

Marinette walks in, and she can sense the tension between Luka and Adrien. “What’s wrong?” she asks.

“Nothing,” Luka answers hastily, at the same time as Adrien’s “I need to find Kagami.”

“Why’d you leave us behind, Adrien?”

“I needed Kagami.” Adrien approaches Marinette and tilts her chin up the slightest bit. “I like you a lot, Marinette, but you’re not her.”

She squeezes her eyes shut. She feels paralyzed. This is like something out of her worst nightmares, where Adrien leaves her and he and Kagami get together and, and, and…

“No, I’m not,” she answers steadily, but she kisses him, hoping that it will cause him to snap out of whatever trance he’s in.

Adrien pushes her away. “I don’t want you like that.”

“What’s going  _ on?”  _ Marinette asks. “Why are you doing this?”

“I…I just woke up, and I loved her.”

This rings of something fishy. She doesn’t think Adrien would just abandon her like that. So…

The fae dwell in these woods. And they’re capable of enchanting many a human. So it wouldn’t be a surprise if…

She takes off. They don’t follow her, Adrien probably too devoted to Kagami and Luka being his usual enigma.

She runs towards the center of the woods, to make an appeal to the rulers of the forest.

* * *

Kagami stumbles upon Marinette. She’s running faster than she probably should for unfamiliar woods.

“Marinette, where are you going? What are you doing?”

“I’m going to  _ fix this.” _

“What?”

“Luka and Adrien are acting strangely. Well, Adrien more so than Luka. Maybe I shouldn’t have tried to kiss Adrien…”

The Marinette Kagami knows would never try to force a kiss upon anyone.

“They’re trying to make a fool of me,” Kagami says, shaking her head. “I thought you would be better than this, Marinette.”

“I don’t understand,” she responds. “What do you mean?”

“I thought you wouldn't conspire with them. I thought we were friends, to some degree. I even bothered to hope that…”

“Kagami, think about this. Why would I want to mess with you?”

“Maybe you just found out. You found out, and you decided to mock me for it.”

“And what do you think I found out? That you’re in love with Luka? That’s fine, you have the right to love—”

“Luka isn’t…” the only- “the one I love.” Kagami is so close to telling the truth — and if Marinette knows anyways, what’s the harm in it? “It’s you, Marinette.”

She seems stunned by the revelation. Perhaps Kagami was wrong when she thought Marinette had conspired with Luka and Adrien to bring her back to the light.

“I need to make things right,” Marinette says, resolutely, and goes deeper into the woods, leaving Kagami alone.

What is Marinette righting? What does she know that Kagami does not?

* * *

A human is coming towards their court.

The human, the girl — she stumbles to her knees, offering a plea to the branches. Tikki listens, in her ladybug form.

“If you can hear me, great Rulers of the Forest, listen to my plea. My lover and my friend have both been driven to madness, declaring their love for a girl that neither of them truly love. I know not the cause of this madness, but…allow them to go free. I will submit however you wish me to.”

Tikki flies down from the branch and shifts back.

“Hello, girl. What do you call yourself?”

Her eyes flit back and forth, probably afraid of giving her true name. “You  _ may call me  _ Blossom.”

“A smart one,” Tikki faintly remarks.

“I have been taught how to avoid the fae,” the human answers in turn. “I take it that you are the Queen?”

“Unwilling, but yes. I heard your plea, however, madness is more my…” Tikki wrinkles her other nose.

“The King of the Forest?” Blossom asks.

“Yes, him,” Tikki answers, flicking her hand as though she can drive the matter away so quickly.

But she spots a moving shadow, and she  _ knows  _ what form he has taken.

“If you tell me where these humans are that have been driven to madness, I will cure them.”

“And what do you want from me in return?” Blossom crosses her arms. Humans, impatient as always.

“You will…do some research for me. I do not wish to rule the Forest, at least not with the current King beside me. I am seeking a way to put an end to our reign without death.”

“And will I be allowed to see my lover? Or must I remain here until I find a solution or die?”

Tikki pauses to think for a moment. “You may see your lover. But no one else.”

“I am grateful for your mercy,” Blossom says.

“Do not bother yourself with those platitudes. None of the fae want to hear your false gratitude, Blossom.”

“Alright.” Blossom narrows her eyes. “Let’s do this, then.”

“So it is a deal?”

Tikki holds out a hand. Blossom looks at it cautiously.

“I restore your lover and your friend. They are allowed to return. But you must stay and research, only permitted to see your lover.”

“I accept.” Blossom takes the hand and shakes it. Tikki infuses magic into the handshake, sealing the deal. They are both bound to this bargain, and if one fails to hold their end, well…

The magic does not take lightly to breach of contract. 

Tikki morphs into a form with wings, and follows Blossom cautiously. Blossom seems to be retracing her steps, trying to find out where the boys she seeks went.

Tikki recalls seeing Plagg earlier, moving about in the shadows, and allows Blossom to trail ahead. She can always track the human down later.

“What do you know about this situation?” she asks, kneeling to meet the cat’s eyes. He blinks at her, and morphs to the form capable of speech.

“Trixx is responsible. They are the one that has to fix it,” Plagg answers.

“I have made a deal with the girl. I must do the fixing.”

“This is what they used.” Plagg sets a tin in her hand, and she opens it and takes a whiff of the substance within.

She scowls. “I see. A love spell. Now I understand why she asked after her lover. They probably fell for someone else.”

“Yes.” Plagg lashes his tail. “Be done with this, will you?”

“...if it weren’t for the deal with the girl, I would not. I would have you and your servant fix your mistakes.”

“Trixx was once your friend as well, weren’t they?” Plagg asks.

“Do not try to appeal to me with things that I have chosen to abandon; I have sacrificed a great deal for this position.”

“For what?” Plagg asks. “For you to make deals with humans just to be free of your consort?”

“You are not my  _ consort,”  _ Tikki snarls. “Now go. I must catch up with the girl.”

“You don’t have the right to command me.” The faint glimmer of a smirk appears on his face, and Tikki wants to attack him until he stops. “I am the king.”

“And I am the queen.” Tikki takes off before he can say anything more, scenting Blossom’s fear on the wind, along with two other scents.

* * *

Marinette staggers into a clearing, fearing that the Queen of the Forest abandoned her. She hears the buzzing of wings a few moments behind her, though, so she knows that the Queen did not abandon her and their deal.

Marinette suspects that the spell the Queen cast would not take that lightly.

Luka and Adrien are sleeping, and they seem strangely tranquil next to each other for likely having been rivals earlier.

A ladybug lands lightly on her shoulder. She gently takes it in her palm and places it onto the ground, and it shifts into the Queen of the Forest in something simultaneously grotesque and beautiful.

“These are the boys?” the Queen asks, and Marinette simply nods. The Queen of the Forest waves her hand over them, producing a shower of sparks. “When they awaken, the effects will be gone.”

Marinette takes a deep breath, and remembers what the Queen said about gratitude.

“Allow me a grace period before I begin,” Marinette asks.

“And why should I do that?” the Queen asks, and Marinette becomes acutely aware that she is negotiating with the Fae Queen of the Forest, and it probably will not end well for her.

“I would like to speak with them before I embark. Tell them about the project and the deal, so they do not worry for me when I am away.”

“And what do I get out of this?”

“...what would you like for it?”

“I want nothing more than to be away from  _ him,”  _ the Queen answers, “and we have already dealt with that. But fine, you will have three days to celebrate with your lovers, and then you will begin.”

Why plural?

Three days. So long. So  _ short. _

Marinette nods. “Then I will see you three days from now.”

“So long, Blossom.”

The Queen turns back into a ladybug and flies off.

Marinette decides there is nothing she wants more than to sleep.

* * *

Adrien wakes up to find that some sort of curtain has lifted. Both Luka and Marinette are still asleep, leaning against each other, and they look nice together.

And then he remembers what he did to Kagami, and he’s horrified at himself. Because he loves Marinette. (And maybe there’s something for Luka, but he doesn’t want to think about that.) 

A black cat walks into the clearing, followed by Kagami.

“I’m sorry,” Adrien says. “I should never have…”

“Should never have what?”

“Done  _ any  _ of that to you. I don’t know exactly why I did it. There’s a haze over the memories over the last day and I woke up with it gone.”

“Are you still joking with me?”

“It was…never a joke, I don’t think.” Adrien frowns. “I can’t remember.”

Marinette yawns, and they both turn towards her.

“Hey,” Adrien says, softly. She’s cute when she’s just waking up like this.

Adrien wishes that he could see it every day. He once hoped that maybe he could, but he won’t, and he has to live in reality.

“It was the fae,” Marinette says. “One of them decided to inflict this upon us. Whether it was out of cruelty or desire to help, I’m uncertain. But you’re free now.”

“What was the exchange?” Kagami asks, turning to Marientte in a blaze. Kagami looks like she’s always on fire, in some way or another, and Adrien finds her conviction admirable.

“I made a deal with the Queen of the Forest. In exchange for breaking the spell over you, I have to do research. And I’m only allowed to see my lover.”

“When does it start?” Adrien asks.

“Three days. I have three days to tell my parents, tell my friends, and…Adrien, if you’re still willing, marry you.”

“Of course,” he answers blindly.

“I know that this has called into question our affections,” Marinette says. “It’s okay if you aren’t ready.”

“Marinette,” Adrien answers, “I wanted to when we first entered these woods. And the fact that you were so willing to make that deal just makes me love you more.”

“I’m just…not sure that I can devote myself to you and  _ only  _ you.” Marinette looks at Kagami, and then at Luka, who is still asleep.

Adrien pauses to think about that. “Huh?”

“It’s…I’m ashamed of it, but…”

“It’s okay,” he whispers. He thinks about Luka, mostly. “It’s okay, Marinette. I know you don’t want to leave me.”

“It’s not because you aren’t enough.”

“And it  _ isn’t  _ because you’re a bad person. Because I might be the same way? I need to really figure that out, but…”

“Marinette,” Kagami says, “why did you run?”

“I meant what I said. I needed to make things right. And I  _ have.”  _ Adrien wonders what went on between the two of them, what exactly they’re talking about. “I needed to focus on them. I didn’t want to think about what you said.”

“The clock is ticking,” Kagami says. “I mean, you only have three days, and then you’ll be cut off from everyone except Adrien to do an impossible task.”

“It’s not impossible, I don’t think,” Marinette says, and Adrien recalls everything he knows about the fae. “I have to believe that it’s possible to find a solution to the Queen’s quandary. Or else, well…”

“She made an exception for lovers, correct? Why couldn’t you have more than one?”

Adrien feels a little left out by their conversation, but he suspects that’s how Kagami felt earlier, so he can let them negotiate this out.

“She did say lovers at one point. I’m not completely certain of my feelings for you, though-”

“You don’t have long to make those feelings certain.” Kagami bites her lip. “I apologize. I just…I worry that I will never see you again. I love you, and it would be a great sadness to know that you were so close but to be completely unable to see you.”

“You’re my best friend, Kagami. And maybe you’re something different, but I just…I only ever let myself love Adrien. I don’t know who else I could if I let myself.”

“Let yourself, Marinette,” Adrien proposes, taking her hand. “Let yourself love freely. And whatever comes of that…”

“We can deal with it,” Kagami finishes for him, and he mouths  _ thank you  _ to her.

* * *

Luka wakes up to the sound of Marinette, Adrien, and Kagami talking. He feels different from how he did before.

“Luka.” Marinette kneels by his side. “You and Adrien were under a love spell.”

“Oh.” He frowns. “That’s why.”

“What was it telling?” Even now, she can still be so compassionate. He remembers exactly why he loves her still.

“It was forcing me, and I knew that it was forcing me, but I couldn’t stop.” Luka lowers his head. “Forcing me to make a choice.”

The feelings are still there. Nothing it said was new, except for where it said  _ only _ , because even now he can’t make a choice.

Kagami and Adrien exchange a look.

Luka stands up. “So what are we doing now?”

“Going home,” Marinette says, rising to her feet. “And hoping for the best.”

* * *

“I had not realized you were so involved with this girl, son,” Gabriel says, and Kagami wishes she could tear him apart without repercussions. “If you had told me, well, Miss Dupain-Cheng is respectable enough. Perhaps not quite as much as Miss Tsurugi, but…well, not the worst girl you could have chosen.”

Marinette is also glaring daggers at Gabriel, gripping Adrien’s hand tight.

Adrien looks over at Marinette, probably to calm her.

“So, will you permit our union?” Marinette asks.

“Yes,” Gabriel answers, and Kagami can see the minutest bit of relaxation in Adrien’s shoulders.

Adrien bows his head. “Then we shall begin making arrangements.”

Three days is so long.

But it isn’t enough, and Kagami knows that.

She asks Luka after they get out a single question.

“So there was some truth to the feelings?”

(Perhaps there was some truth to Marinette’s words.)

‘I meant what I said when I said that I possessed feelings for Marinette and Adrien.” Luka places his hands on her shoulders. “But I did exclude my feelings for you.”

“Why?”

“I wanted them back. I…couldn’t live a life where I just had you. And I thought you were just interested in Marinette.”

“No,” Kagami answers. “Though I’m more interested in her than anyone else at the moment, I’m open to the possibility.”

“Open to the possibility, huh?” Luka smiles.

“And both Adrien and Marinette seem open to it as well,” Kagami answers. “But you were not awake yet. So, do you want to be a part of it?”

She’s nervous as to how he will respond. She shouldn’t be, but she is nonetheless.

“I never thought that I could,” Luka answers, “but if I can, I will.”

“Good,” Kagami answers, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Then we can talk to them.”

He smiles.

And she can’t help but return it.

* * *

Gabriel and Nathalie get married a day after they come back. They put the wedding off for a day while they rallied people to search for Adrien and Kagami. Marinette supposes that at least they can pretend to care about him.

The four of them are happy, for a bit. Luka and Kagami aren’t angry at the decision Adrien and Marinette have made, either, and she’s grateful for that.

There are too many things to do. Three days isn’t nearly enough — but the Queen could have made her start right away, or refused to help because of all her conditions on the deal. So the Queen is either desperate or merciful, and Marinette is inclined to think the former.

Marinette and Adrien marry on the third day. It’s bittersweet, because she knows that it’ll be the last time for a long time that she sees her parents and her friends.

She hopes that Luka and Kagami will count as her  _ lovers  _ too, even though they’re still in the negotiations of it all.

Adrien says his vows, and he sounds like someone properly in love. Of course, she would have to expect that. They’re marrying, after all, and she loves him too.

But the looming deal with the Queen of the Forest hangs over her head, and she has trouble treating it as something happy.

“You may kiss the bride,” the priest says, and Marinette is the one that breaches the gap, kissing Adrien first. She knows it isn’t the last time, but…

And at the reception, she tells Kagami and Luka that she loves them — if they are her lovers, they can visit as well, and she does possess feelings for them. It’s not a lie, and the Queen already proposed  _ plural,  _ she suspects the Queen would be just fine with the exploitation of that loophole.

A ladybug lands on her shoulder. A reminder of the promise.

She bids them all goodbye, and goes back into the woods.

“So, Blossom, are you ready to make good on the end of your deal? Have you said your farewells?” the Queen asks once they’re both out of the sight of any other humans.

“I have,” she responds. “But what happens if I am not the one to find the breakthrough?”

“...I severely doubt the King will, he has no motivation to. And I will not be searching any longer. I will allow you to take the lead on the research. I find that occasionally, an outsider perspective may be helpful, and the only  _ outsiders  _ in this situation are people who do not live in the forest. Like you.”

“I understand,” Marinette answers. “So, where should I begin?”

* * *

Tikki leads Blossom to their, admittedly limited, catalogue. The tomes will shift into the language the reader knows most fluently, so Tikki thinks that it’ll be fine to just allow Blossom to explore the catalogue and let her find what she will.

Blossom throws herself into the research straight away, probably just trying to find a way out, satisfy the conditions of the deal so she can return.

The faster Blossom finds an answer, the faster Tikki gets  _ away  _ from Plagg. She spots a cat sitting on Blossom’s table.

She wants to shoo him off — but that should be Blossom’s choice. So Tikki just leaves her be.

“My liege,” Longg asks, “what are you doing?”

“Nothing of importance anymore. Go see if Roaar needs any help.”

She returns to her chamber.

* * *

Marinette pours over the tomes. The text shimmers, and she tries not to overthink that.

The time passes silently inside the palace. She thinks it’s been something resembling three days, because she’s slept twice.

She should visit them. It could have been forever, outside of the forest.

A black cat perched on the desk looks at her with something resembling interest, and she knows that it’s probably one of the fae, shapeshifted to appear less intimidating — it looks far too sentient to be a regular cat.

The books all say that the forest is alive, and if she focuses long enough she can hear its whispers.

She wonders if they could use their power to contact the forest and abdicate, or request that the forest take their position away. She wonders what the Forest would ask for in return, if the forest is like the other fae or not. She doubts something that has lived this long would want to be like the other fae, manipulative and the most honest of all liars.

She puts a hand to the ground, and feels a hum under her fingers. The Forest lives, in more ways than one. The tomes convey fae that have talked to the Forest, as though it is/was a sentient being.

“Can you show me out?” she asks the cat. “I must try.”

The cat nods.

The forest wants balance. She wonders what would balance the forest, and if the Queen and King really were the answers to the imbalance.

The cat hops off the table, beckoning with its tail for Marinette to follow it. She supposes she  _ is  _ the one who asked, so she’ll follow.

The hallways are confusing, though that may just be because they are fae architecture, and that needs not follow any human roles. Marinette follows, and eventually emerges into the forest.

She touches a hand to the forest floor.

_ If you can hear me…I would just like to speak,  _ she thinks, using her body as a conduit to reach the forest. The wind starts blowing, harder than it was before, and Marinette takes a deep breath.

“Speak,” the branches whisper, influenced by the wind. Marinette can feel the shadows moving, trailing towards her.

_ I am a researcher on behalf of the current Queen of the Forest, _ she says, speaking still directly to the forest. She doesn’t know what the cat  _ does,  _ but she doesn't want it to know her mission or purpose.  _ She seeks to abandon her king. _

“And what of balance?”

_ I am uncertain,  _ she answers.  _ But now that I am aware that I am capable of contact, I will tell her. So you can settle this. _

“I am…closer to eternity than any other fae,” the Forest whispers. “I know many things, young Blossom. I was already aware of both the Queen and the King’s lack of desire. If both wish to change something, they must speak directly. I do not want to hear the words of a human.”

“Then I will speak,” the cat says, and Marinette’s lead turns towards it-him? That doesn’t matter.

“Oh,” the Forest whispers. “Clever of you. But I will not hear from just one.”

“I know not the Queen’s desires,” Marinette says, out loud now. “But I will bring her here as soon as possible.”

The cat lays a paw on her hand. “Allow me to help,” he says, and in a flash of magic she’s inside the chamber of the Queen.

“What are you doing, Blossom? I thought you would be in the catalogue still.”

“I am speaking with the Forest. The being responsible for all this. They would like to speak with you.” Marinette says the words firmly, trying not to be too afraid.

“...Plagg,” she says. “He must have led you out.”

“The black cat sitting on the table? Yes, and he teleported me here. Go.”

In a flash, the Queen leaves, abandoning Marinette in the room.

Well, she needs to find a way out, she supposes.

* * *

“What are you doing?” she asks Plagg.

“You want a way out. I want a way out,” he says, in cat-form. “And the Forest may be willing to give that to us.”

Tikki kneels on the ground. “What would you like from us?”

“I thought that you two would reach balance. Name a pair of successors, with the probability as high as your duo’s balance, and I shall let you both be free of the throne,” the Forest whispers.

“Roaar and Longg,” Tikki says, without hesitation. “They work well with each other already, and both possess balanced abilities.”

Plagg nods. “They are also both leaders in their respective roles, and would make excellent royalty.”

“And neither of you think you are qualified?”

“Tikki is infinitely qualified,” Plagg says. “I am…not, admittedly. I am immature, and unqualified.”

“I admit that…I have not been my best self on this throne. Plagg brings out my worst characteristics, and while he is king I cannot be queen.”

“Yet you both agree to this,” the Forest says.

“I do not wish to be queen,” she answers. “Not even if it were someone else at my side. Not even if I were alone. I did not want this power.”

“You both could grow into it,” it answers.

“I know I will not,” Plagg says, and Tikki looks over at him in shock.

It takes…a lot more maturity than she’s seen Plagg exhibit before to admit that.

“If you are truly unwilling, then…”

The wind picks up, swirling leaves and branches around the two of them in a circle. There is a soar of magic from the points where Tikki touches the ground.

And then everything goes black.

* * *

Plagg will not express his gratitude as a human does; but he is tempted to thank the Forest anyways. He turns and morphs back to his bipedal form, and walks away. There is no longer a tie aching in him, he no longer is beholden to the throne.

He wonders how neither of them ever thought to do that before. Talk to the Forest, the one who appointed them its rulers once.

“Plagg,” Tikki calls, and he turns back. “What are you going to do now?”

“I don’t know yet. What will you do?”

“What I was doing before all this,” she answers. “Being a knight, and working for the Forest.”

“Then I wish you luck with that.” He isn’t going back to the palace. Not if he has anything to say about it.

She nods, and they part ways, most likely for the last time.

* * *

It’s been a week. Marinette still hasn’t visited them yet.

The three of them living together looks a little strange to outsiders, but they stage it as Luka and Kagami being engaged, keeping Adrien company while Marinette is away.

None of them want to say what Marinette is doing.

A week is so long, and Luka just wants her to come home and be with them.

“When do you think she’ll visit?” Kagami asks him, placing her hand over his.

“I don’t know. Knowing Marinette, she’s probably going to try and finish the task that the Queen of the Forest assigned her before she does anything, but I’m afraid that the Queen gave her an impossible task. After all, that’s how they do things.”

She squeezes his hand a little tighter. It feels grounding to Luka.

“If there’s anyone who can do the impossible, it’s Marinette,” Kagami answers. “I trust her.”

“I just worry,” he answers, and sighs.

A knocking at the door.

“I’ll get it,” Adrien calls from across the house.

They both turn towards the front of the house anyways, walking to join them, because  _ what if what if what if… _

“Marinette?” he hears Adrien say, voice soft and breaking.

“I did it,” she says, and her voice carries over to where he can hear it easily. “I’m free.”

He and Kagami exchange a look, and they walk hand in hand towards the door.

Immediately, he embraces Marinette. “I was worried the whole time. You didn’t visit.”

“I got caught up in work,” she answers, and they separate a little to let Adrien and Kagami into their embrace. “I just…I wanted a way out, and so I found one.”

“You’re home,” Kagami says. “That’s all that matters.”

“Yeah,” Adrien adds. “We get to spend the rest of our lives like this.”

The rest of their lives. It’s…overwhelming to think about  _ forever  _ (or at least as long as he lasts), but…there aren’t any other people that he wants by his side through it. 

**Author's Note:**

> This was created for the [Miraculous Fanworks Discord](https://discord.gg/mlfanworks) February 2021 event, which was to rewrite a classic. You can find the rest of the creations in the collection, and join us to be a part of more events and talk to a growing community of over one thousand fans of the show!
> 
> Also, follow me on my writing Tumblr @beunforgotten for more!


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